Container Gardens
Transform your patio or deck into a colorful garden oasis! Find great ideas right here for you to create your own patio charmers!
Container designs…
Our staff have created a number of special designs with 'recipe' cards for each one! Build it yourself, or come in and we'll do it for you! A few of the designs are shown above. You'll find all of them on our Container Design Recipe page
Need Potting Help?
You choose the plants, we'll do the potting for you. Find out more about our Potting Service. Visit our Service Page for details.
Container Design with Thrillers, Spillers and Fillers
Build sun and shade containers with a few quick tips! Whether you like to do it yourself, need something quick or would like a custom professional design, we have you covered.
Building containers with a combination of plants is a challenge and one that is a pleasure for every gardener. How to pick the right combination was given great assistance by Steve Silk, a contributing editor to Fine Gardening and a member of the Gardeners Gone Wild blogsite. Steve's article Thrillers, Spillers and Fillers presented an easy recipe for building stunning containers.
We've taken it a step further to provide you with the basics and the list of plants that we stock fitting into each category.
Just use our plant lists with the tips below and in three steps create perfect sun or shade containers and dramatic combinations in the garden.
Start with a Thriller...
Focal point - choose a plant that is big, bold, and beautiful.
It is the tallest part of the design
Use it for dramatic accents for in-ground plantings
Suggestions: Salvia 'Golden Delicious,' Kong series Coleus, Draceana 'Red Star' and Dragon Wing Red Begonia.
Add a spicy Filler...
This is the middle layer of the design
Use it to add complementary texture and color to the thriller
Great for adding color and substance around shrubs in the landscape
Suggestions: Plectranthrus 'Troy's Gold', Lantana, Alternathera, and Impatiens 'Sonic Paste.'
Download our Lists of
Finish with a colorful Spiller...
Use plants that provide trailing accents
Spillers soften the edges of the container
They tie the design elements together
Fantastic groundcovers provide great options
Suggestions: Ipomoea Marguarita, Vinca 'Illumination', Bacopa 'Giant White', and Verbena Lanai series.
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Friday & Saturday 8:00am - 8:00pm
5050 SE Stark, Portland, OR
9000 SE Division, Portland, OR
Container FAQs
How many plants do I need?
Generally a 12" pot can fit six plants (one thriller, two fillers and three spillers). Some varieties are very vigorous and great for large "Lake Oswego style" baskets. Many of these varieties have the word super in the name (for example Superbells, Supertunia, Superbena).
Should I fertilize?
Yes! Annuals look much better if they are fertilized every third watering. Or to simplify, fertilize once a week with a liquid fertilizer. Alternate between an all-purpose and a bloom fertilizer to maximize growth and bloom. The easiest feeding program is to mix a starter fertilizer and slow release fertilizer in the soil at planting time.
Do all these annuals require the same amount of sun and water?
No. All of the sun Thriller, Filler and Spillers will thrive in full sun but some can perform well in partial shade as well. Similarly some annuals are more drought tolerant or water loving than others. Check the details on the plant tag to help match sun and water requirements when putting together combinations.
Helpful Container Guides
Planting Containers and Baskets
Year Round Containers - Class Handout
Thriller, Filler, Spiller Pot